Milton E Wadsworth
Engineers in Salt Lake City, UT
License number
Utah 161880-2202
Issued Date
Jan 1, 1910
Expiration Date
Apr 30, 1988
Category
Engineer/Land Surveyor
Type
Professional Engineer
Address
Address
Salt Lake City, UT
Professional information
Acid Ferric Sulfate Leaching Of Copper Sulfide Concentrates
US Patent:
4115221, Sep 19, 1978
Filed:
Feb 28, 1977
Appl. No.:
5/772944
Inventors:
Milton E. Wadsworth - Salt Lake City UT
Jan D. Miller - Salt Lake City UT
John A. Herbst - Park City UT
John L. Kolbe - Clarksville MD
Howard Wayne Hayden - Columbia MD
Jan D. Miller - Salt Lake City UT
John A. Herbst - Park City UT
John L. Kolbe - Clarksville MD
Howard Wayne Hayden - Columbia MD
International Classification:
C25C 112
US Classification:
204108
Abstract:
A process for hydrometallurgically recovering copper from concentrates of chalcopyrite and other sulfide and mixed sulfide ores utilizes the pretreatment step of fine grinding of the concentrates coupled with subsequent leaching steps. As a pretreatment for the copper-containing concentrates, the concentrates are ground, preferrably with an attritor-type grinding device, to reduce the particle size of the copper bearing concentrate to one micron or less in size. The finely ground copper concentrate is then leached in an acidified ferric sulfate solution to recover the copper contained therein. Following the leching step, a solid-liquid separation is effected. Elemental sulfur may be recovered, and iron removal is achieved by crystallization of iron salts. Ferrous ion is then oxidized to ferric ion for recycling to the leaching step.